Package of carbon dioxide and process for making the same



Patented Sept; 21, 1926.

UNITED, STA

TEs PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE IB. BLANCHARD, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

PACKAGE OF CARBON DIOXIDE AND PROCESS FOR MAKING THE SAME.

Io Drawing.

Prior to my invention, it has been'customary to ship carbon dioxide inli uid form in steel containers. Such containers are heavy and thereforeexpensive to ship add- -ing greatly to the shipping cost of the liquid,and furthermore, are bulky whether full or empty so that the cost ofthe. return of these containers is but little less than that of shippingthem to the consumer. Furthermore, these containers are in themselves aconsiderable item. of ex ense to manufacture and maintain. In t epractice of my invention, the carbon dioxide gas is shipped in the solidstate preferably well compacted and'in containers'so cheap that they maybe discarded or, returned for re-use, the cost of r'eshipping them isbut slight.

In the practice of my invention the carbon dioxide may be manufacturedand reduced to the solid state in an desired or known manner as forexamp e by permitting the vapors from liquid carbon dioxide to escaperapidly from the container which results in the formation of the solidcarbon dioxide due to the cooling of a portion of the vapprspermitted'to escape. Other ways of ma ing solid carbon dioxide are ,wellknown. The solid material formed in the manner referred to above isflaky or granular and it is desirable to reduce its volume beforeshipment by condensing or compacting it. This may becdone by a varietyof mechanical eans ofv an obvious character and which it is unnecessaryto describe. After the material has been "properly compacted, it isplaced in pervious absorbent containers. 1- have used for this purposewith satisfactoryresults coarse fabric sacks, unbleachedmuslin beingsatisfactory for the purpose. After the solid carbon dioxide has beencharged into the sack, I preferably spray the package with water or dipit therein whereupon the ab .sorption of heat from the water by thecarbon dioxide quickly congeals the water absorbed by the fabric and anywater which is retained between the fabric and'the carbon dioxide, thusclosing the pores and mesh of the fabric and surrounding the Applicationfiled October 31, 1925. Serial No. 66,031.

solid carbon dioxide with a substantially continuous enclosure of iceSomewhat the same effect is obtained by exposing the fibrous packagecontaining tlrecarbon dioxide to the atmosphere, particularly if the b5latter is fairly moist, but preferably the package is moistened asheretofore described. It is within my invention in its broader'aspect toenclose the-carbon dioxide in other fibrous or absorbent containers soor materials than that described, but I have found the muslin sacks toanswer the purpose satisfactorily as J they are cheap, readily absorbwater and after their contents have been removed, they may be packed invery small space for return to the shipper. By forming a covering of iceabout the carbon dioxide, it is not only mechanically protected andprevented from wasting in this manner, but by maintaining a stagnantatmosphere which a proaches the saturation point in carbon oxide thegasification of the latter is greatly retarded. Thus, though thematerial can not be entirely prevented from vapors or gasifying, itsescape is so slow that it may be economically shipped long distances foruse. As escape of the gas developed is not prevented, there is no dangerof explosion. Furthermore, the shipment and handling of the material isentirely clean as any small particles or fragments which escape from Ithe containers simply pass off into the at-' mosphere.

packing carbon dioxide for shipment which consistsin solidifying It issometimes convenient to avoidme- 85 the some sn surrounciing it with anab sorbent container.

5. A process of packng carbon dioxide which consists in solidifying it,surrounding it wth an absorbent container and saturating the containerwith Water.

6. A process of packing carbon dioxide for shipment which consists insohoifying the carbon dioxide, compnctlng it, enc1osing it in acontainer of absorbent material 5m and saturating the container.

my name.

GEORGE B. BLANCHARD.

